Page 20 of Unwrapping His Naughty Secret

Kiss Daddy goodnight.

I could use some mistletoe.

“It’s okay, bud, I've got you,” Heath says. “I brought back the lights that we bought last year, that you very helpfully took down for us and returned.”

I glance over at Heath. “You didn't want those lights up at your house?”

Heath grins. “I bought him a separate set of matching lights for our house, man. Love makes the grumpiest of us do fun things.”

Hannah gives Cara a pointed look. “So we'll eat dinner, and then Wyatt and I are going to put up those Christmas lights.”

Emily and Heath exchange a knowing look. “We'll supervise the Christmas lights.”

“Oh, thank God,” I say with a smile.

Hannah rolls her eyes and continues, undeterred in her mission to fully explain the evening to her friend. “And then we usually watch Christmas movies and have some fundessert. What is it this year, Dad? An affogato cart?”

Wyatt looks at me, confused.

“An ice cream sundae bar,” I translate for him.

He pumps his fist. “Aww, yeah. Love that. But um, what about Emily’s trifle?”

“Fuck,” I growl.

I forgot about the trifle when I bought the ice cream and toppings. And then I forgot about it a second time after Cara arrived on my doorstep.

Hannah sighs.

Emily laughs.

Wyatt looks genuinely confused.

From the other end of the table, Cara is now giggling openly at all of us. Her laugh is better than the gleeful rustling of paper on Christmas morning. And hearing it again is suddenly all I can think about.

Getting her alone so I can hear it privately is my top priority.

“We do have two dessert options tonight, that’s true. Emily made a gorgeous-looking trifle,” I say. “But I forgot about that, so I also got the supplies for an affogato cart.”

“That sounds really specific,” Heath says. “Inspired by something?”

Oh, if he only knew. I stare at Cara until she gives me her gaze, and then I say, “I guess I’ve been craving the combination of sweet vanilla and dark coffee all week. I had that specific combination last weekend for the first time ever, and it’s all I can think about now.”

Chapter 9

Cara

I can’t breathe.

Hunter is staring at my mouth. Hannah is staring at her dad. Wyatt is whispering something to Emily that is making her blush, and Heath is doing a slow, analytical look around the table that feels like we’re about to be revealed in some terrible way.

“That just sounds so…weird,” Hannah pronounces. “Vanilla ice cream andcoffee?”

“It’s a thing,” Heath says dryly. “Maybe not for you, though.”

“Definitely not,” she agrees. “I’ll have Emily’s trifle. But maybe not just yet. Is anyone elsestuffed?”

“I’ve always got room for something delicious,” Wyatt drawls.

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